Indicating-lock.



w. A. RATCLIFF.

INDICATING LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZII I915.

Patented July 18, 1916.

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W. A. RATCLIFF.

INDICATING LOCK. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1915.

Patented July 18, 1916.

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INDICATING LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1915.

1,191,732, I Patented July 18, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 52% as 422 M? a lium A66 WITNESSES l/WE/V r01? war/a1 v By 776 TTOR/VEYS WILLIAM AUGUSTUS RATCLIFF, OF" IBELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON.

INDICATING-LOGK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1 8, 1916.

Application filed June 21, 1915. Serial No. 35,277.

way cars, the lock being provided with means for indicating the person or agent whereby the look was last actuated.

More particularly stated, I seek to produce a lock suitable for securing the doors and certain other movable parts of railway cars in a predetermined fixed position, and

for indicating to employees of the railroad or to other persons interested the individual or corporation responsible for leaving the lock in the condition in which it is found at a particular time. 7

My invention may be of special service in connection with a lock of the type shown in Patents Nos. 1,076,994 and 1,037,531.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the views, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a freight car provided with a sliding door, and equipped with my improved indicating lock and parts immediately associated with the same; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and is partly in section. and partly in elevation; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective showing most of the parts indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and also additional parts used upon a car with a door differing from that shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4L is a section on the line H of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrow and showing the mechanism of the indicating lock; Fig. 5'is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4:, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section through the indicating lock, and is taken upon the line 99 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 10 is a section similar to Fig. 4 but showing certain movable parts of the mechanism as occupying a position different from the position they are occupying in Fig. 4; Fig. 11 is a section on the line 1111 of Fig. 10, looking in the direction of the arrow, and" showing certain movable parts as they'appear while being actuated by the turning movement of a key; Fig. 12 is a plan view of the key; and Fig. 13 is a section on the line'1313 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

According to Fig. 3 a car is shown at 14, and is provided with a door 15, the latter being mounted upon'hinges 16. A pair of hatch operating rods are shown at 17, and below these rods are a pair of other rods 18 whereby they are actuated. Joining each rod 17 with its mating rod 18 is a coupling 20 used for the purpose of connecting and disconnecting therod in order to allow the hatches to be operated. A rock-' ing shaft 22 is mountedupon bearings 21, the latter being secured to the car body. Mounted rigidly upon the ends of the rocking shaft 22 are cranks 23 and 24 carrying crank pins 25 and 26, these crank pins being connected with the lower ends of the rods 18. The parts are so arranged that. when the cranks 25 and 26 are swung outwardly and'upwardly the rods 18 are moved upwardly. A hasp 27 is connected with the car door 15 by a connection 28. and is so arranged that when the hasp 27 is secured in 'a predetermined position, as here-v inafter described, the door 15 cannot be opened. I

Secured rigidly upon the c'arbody'is a keeper 29, into which-the boltof-the lock is adapted to extend, as hereinafter described. According to the form shown in Fig. 1 there are mounted upon the car body two eyes 30, through which extend a bolt 31 and to this bolt may be connected a 'seal 33. An eye 32 extends through a slot in the hasp 27 and the bolt 31 extends through this eye. The hasp 27 is mounted to swing upon another eye 34-oarried by the car. A casing 35 having generally the form of a box is used for holding the various parts of the lock and indicating mechanism associated therewith. This casing is held rigidly in position upon the car by means of bolts 36. The casing is provided with a keyhole 37, and a guard 38 is disposed adjacent this hole for the purpose of normally covering the same in order to prevent the entrance of dust into the casing.

The bolt of the lock is shown at 39, and the upper end of this bolt is formed into a yoke 40 provided with a horizontally disposed slot 41. Extending through this slot is a guide pin 42 provided with a head 43, as may be understood from Fig. 7. The pin 42 is carried by a toothed wheel 44, this wheel being mounted to turn upona stationary pin 45 supported directly by the casing wall. The toothed wheel 44 meshes with another toothed wheel 46, the form of which will be understood from Figs. 4 to 11. This wheel is supported upon a revoluble sleeve 47 which, because of its oi'lice, l designate as a key sleeve. This key sleeve is provided with a key channel 48 extending the full width of the casing. Mounted upon the key sleeve 47 is a cam wheel 49 provided with a slot 50 which merges into the channel 48, as indicated in Figs. 9 and 11. The form of the cam wheel 49- maybe understood from Fig. 6. The key sleeve is provided at one of its ends with a cylindrical portion 51 which is revolubly mounted within a bearing 52 havingthe general proximate form of cylinder, as indicated in Fig. 13. This cylindrical portion 51 is provided with a slot 53. Carried by the cylindrical member 51 are three pins 54, 55 and 56, these being provided with portions 57, 58 and 59 of reduced diameter, and being each movable endwise to a slight extent. Just above the cylindrical member 51 is a block 60 and slidably mounted within this block are three pins 61, 62 and 63, each pin being engaged by a spring 64. The pins and springs just mentioned are locked within a housing 52, which extends upwardly from the bearing 52. A block 65 is provided with a flange 65 being secured by fastenings 65 as indicated more particularly in Figs. 9 and 11.

A key is shownat 67 (see Fig. 12) and is provided with a handle portion 66. A legend, in this instance the number 3738, is placed upon the handle 66 for purposes of identifying the person who has charge of the key. The key is provided with a web portion 68, and this web portion adjacent its end opposite the handle is provided with anumber'of steps 69, 70 and 71, so arranged that when the key is inserted in thekeyhole 37 and pushed entirely through the casing the steps 69, 70 and 71 may engage the adjacent portions 59, 58 and 57 of the.

pins56, 55 and 54 as indicated in Fig. 11.

A guide pin 72 is mounted upon the wall of the casing, and extends through a slot 73 in the bolt 39. This guide pin is provided with a head 74. Mounted directly upon the casing wall is a bracket 75 provided with bearings 76 and 77. A shaft 78 extends from the bearing 76 across the casing, as indicated. in Fig. 7, and parallel with this shaft 78 is a bar 79 upon which certain movable parts areadapted to rest, as hereinafter described. Above the bar 79 are a number of movable arms 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90 and 91, which are all journaled upon the shaft 78 and are adapted to rest upon the bar 79. The web 68 of the key 67 is provided with a number of distinct operating surfaces 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103 and 104, for the purpose of engaging the various arms above numbered to 91 inclusive (see Figs. 11 and 12).

Engaging the arms numbered 80 to 91 inclusive are springs 105, each made of wire and coiled around a shaft 106. Each of these springs is provided with an upwardly extending portion 107 which engages a bar 108 serving the purpose of a-stop pin. Each of the arms just mentioned carries a sector 108, each sector being provided with number of notches 109 spaced equi-distant, and

also provided with a number of letters or numerals on its edge, as indicated in Fig. 8, or equivalent intelligible legends. Disposed adjacent the path of travel of the sectors 108 is a locking plate 112, the general purpose of which is somewhat analogous to that of'a pawl. This locking plate reaches across all of the sectors and is provided with a supporting portion 110, the latter being journaled upon a shaft 111. Mounted upon the locking bar 112 is a lug 113, this lug being connected by a pin 114 with an arm 115, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 6. The arm 115 is provided with a slot 116, and extending through this slot is a pin 117 carried by an arm 118. This arm is journaled upon'a shaft 119, and is engaged by a spring 120, the tendency of the spring being to move the arm 115 to the right, according to Fig. 6. The arm 115 is provided with a notch or shoulder 121, and the shoulder 49" of the cam wheel 49 is adapted to lodge against this notch or shoulder when in position to do so. A spring pawl 49 is of proper form to engage the shoulder 49 when the cam wheel 49 is turned into proper position for this purpose.

A spring 122 is secured to the shaft 108 and extends downwardly therefrom. This spring engages the shafts 106 and 78, and is provided at its lower end with a claw 123 engaging the shoulder 49, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 6. The casing is provided with av Window 124 through which readings may be made. A guard normally covers this window. The movable arms numbered 80 to 91 inclusive are essentially tumblers, and the operating surfaces numbered 92 to 104 inclusive, carried by the key 67, are essentially key wards for operating these tumblers. The legends carried by the edges of sectors 108 are so arranged that by permutations of these sectors practically any desired group of letters or numbers can be produced by movements of a key suitable for the purpose. It will be understood that the operating surfaces of the wards 92 to 101' inclusive of the key shown in Fig. 12 are in this instance used for producing letters (see Fig. 8, left hand side), while the operating surfaces of the wards 101, 102, 103, 104, are employed for producing numbers, as indicated at the right of Fig. 8.

In the particular instance here illustrated, the holder of the key is shown as 3738, and consequently when this particular key is used with the lock the number 3738 will appear at the window, as indicated in Fig. 2. As

this figure also shows, the use of the par- Y ticular key in question is associated with a particular railroad and the designation ofthis railroad will appear at. the window.

By changing the wards numbered 92 to 104 inclusive of the key, any particular railroad may be thus designated, and so also may be any particular holder of a key. The locking plate 112 carries a guide plate 127, and a stationary sector plate 126 is mounted within the casing. This sector plate and the guide plate 127 prevent accidental lateral movement of the various sectors or tumblers.

The operation of my device is as follows: The parts being assembled and arranged as above described, and the hasp 27 and crank pin 26 being brought into suitable position to enable the lock to hold them as indicated in Fig. 3, the operator swings the guard 38 to one side and inserts the key 67 in the key hole. This done, he turns the key in a clockwise direction one single complete revolution to throw the bolt 39 downward. In order to withdraw the bolt, or in other words in order to unlock, he simply turns the key also one single revolution in a clock-Wise direction. When the key is thrust into the key hole up to the handle 66, the steps 697 07 1, which are in reality wards, engage the adjacent ends of the pins 5958 and 57, as will be understood from Fig. 11. These pins are, therefore, raised slightly, and as a consequence the pins 61, 62 and 63 are also raised. Except for this fact the key could not be turned. If, therefore, some other key be inserted either by accident or design,1.it has no provision for thus raising the pins 61, 62, 63, and, therefore, it cannot actuatethe lock. Assuming, therefore, thatthe proper key is used I will trace the movement of the key and the actuation of the'difierent parts in consequence thereof: As the key is turned in a clockwise direction, the arms numbered 80 to 91 inclusive are not at first disturbed. The cam wheel 49, however, by its rotation gradually pushes the arm 115 bodily toward the left, according to Fig. 6. This causes the arm 118 to rock slightly in a contra-clockwise direction, according to this figure. The locking plate 112 is thus disengaged from the sectors or tumblers 108 and the arms numbered 80'to 91 inclusive are thus left free. Further rotation of the key now brings the wards 92 to 104 inclusive of the key into direct lifting engagement with the arms 80 to 91 inclusive, and these arms are lifted angularly upward to different degrees controllable by the form of the wards carried by the key, as will be understood from Figs. 11 and 12. By the time the arms are thus lifted into their respective uppermost positions, the shoulder 49 passes the adjacent end of the arm 115 so that the arm 115 moves bodily to the right, according to- Fig. 6, this movement being caused by the spring 120. In other words, the shoulder 121 simply clicks under the shoulder 49 This movement occurs at the precise instant when a number of the notches 109 are in precise alinement with each other and with the looking bar 112. Therefore, all of the sectors are locked in pre-arranged positions determined by the key. The further rotation of the key brings the shoulder 49 into engage: ment with the claw 123, which prevents the accidental movement of any mechanism properly controllable by the key. In other words, the claw 123 prevents interference with the lock and also prevents the accidental derangement. The spring pawl 49 by sliding over the shoulder 49 after the key begins its rotation, prevents the cam wheel 49 from being drawn backward.

The spring pawl 49 also prevents the key from being removed after actuating the lock for the purpose of either looking or unlocking it, until the key has made a complete revolution so that the name and number may be identified Assuming the various movable parts to be in the respective positions indicated in Figs. 4 and 7, the rotation of the key as above described causes the bolt 39 to be thrust downwardly. This is because the rotation of the toothed wheel 46 in a clockthrusts the bolt 39 downward, and another single turn of the toothed Wheel 46 raises the bolt upwardly into its normal position.

The net result is, that whenever an agent or other employee uses his key 67 upon the look so as to actuate it for purposes of either looking or unlocking, he leaves the lock in such condition that the legends displayed through the window 1% (Fig. 2) disclose the identity of the operator and also the identity of the railroad with which he is connected, the window being provided with a guard 125.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown as variations can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An indicating lock comprising a slidable bolt having a transverse and a longitudinal guideway therein and adapted to occupy a plurality of normal positions, mechanism controllable at the will of the operator cooperating with said guideways for actuating said movable member from one of its normal positions to the other, a plurality of arms connected with said mechanism and controllable by the movement thereof, each of said arms being pivoted at one end provided at its opposite end with display mechanism for making an indication, and means connected with said mechanism and controllable by movement thereof for locking said tumblers in a predetermined relative position. i

2. An indicating lock comprising a casing, a bolt slidably mounted therein and adapted to occupy either of two normal positions,

a gear mechanism controllable by a key for actuating said bolt, a plurality of swinging arms pivoted at one end and operable independently of each other and controllable by said key, each of said swinging arms being provided at its opposite end with a sector having a display character on its edge for registering an indication, and a locking bar controllable by movements of said key for temporarily securing said sectors in predetermined relative position.

3. An indicating lock comprising a casing, a bolt slidably mounted within said casing and adapted to occupy two normal positions, mechanism including a revoluble member for actuating said bolt relatively to said casing, said revoluble member being provided with a passage into which the key may be thrust, a plurality of arms pivoted at one endlocated within said casing and positioned to be engaged by wards carried by the key so that movement of the key may actuate said arms, notched indicating sectors carried at the opposite end of said arms for the purpose of registering indications, and a locking mechanism for locking said sectors in different positions in order to enable said indicating devices to be observed.

4. In a device of the character described comprising a casing, a bolt slidably mounted therein and adapted to occupy two normal positions, a revoluble member ournaled in said casing and provided with a passage for receiving a key, gearing connected with said revoluble member and said bolt for movement of said revoluble member to shift the position of said bolt, a plurality of swinging arms journaled within said casing and disposed within the path of travel of wards carried by said key, sectors mounted upon said swinging arms and provided with intelligible characters, and locking mecha nism controllable by movements of said revoluble member for securing said sectors in predetermined fixed relative positions ,in order to cause predetermined intelligible characters carried by said sectors to be brought into alinement with each other.

5. In a device of the character described comprising a casing, a bolt slidably mounted therein and. adapted to occupy two normal positions, a revoluble member journaled in the casing and provided with a passage for receiving a key, gearing connected with said revoluble member and said bolt for movement of said revoluble member to shift the position of said bolt, a plurality of groups of swinging arms journaled at one end within said casing and disposed within the path of travel of wards carried by the key, said arms carrying sectors at their free ends, said sectors provided with intelligible characters, a stationary sector between the groups of swinging sectors and preventing lateral movement of the same, and locking mechanism controlled by the movements of said sectors for securing the same in predetermined fixed relative positions in order to cause predetermined intelligible characters carried by said sectors to be brought into alinement with each other.

6. In a device of the character described, comprising a casing, a bolt slidably mountcdtherein and adapted to occupy two normal positions, a revoluble member ournaled in the casing and provided with a passage for receiving a key, means for locking and releasing said revoluble member, said means operable by the insertion and withdrawal of the key, gearing connected with said revoluble memberand said bolt for movement of said revoluble member to shift the position of said bolt, a plurality of swinging arms'journaled within said casing and disposed within the path of travel of wards carried by said key, sectors mounted upon said swinging arms and provided with intelligible characters, lockin mechanism con- In testimony whereof I have signed my trolled by movements 0 said revoluble name to this specification in the presence of member for securing said sectors in predetwo subscribing Witnesses.

termined fixed relative positions in order to WILLIAM AUGUSTUS RATOLIFF. cause predetermined intelligible characters Witnesses:

carried by said sectors to be brought into C. K. MoMILLIN,

alinement With each other. H. F; LAWSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

